Domesticated
by Zombie-plan
Summary: Dib is unhappy with his adult life and discovers Zim suffering from amnesia caused by a virus. Dib takes advantage of the situation by trying to reform Zim into a domesticated Irken house pet. Dib will come to regret this.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is my very first Zim fic. The prolog is short and I apologist for that but I'm almost done with the first chapter. The problem is that I need some beta-readers.

* * *

**Prologue **

Solitude.

This is a significant word to Zim - or at least the meaning of the word. It used to be something he treasured; keeping the foreign dwellers of the outside world out of his territory is of the utmost importance. There used to be something... Something that would break in but he can't remember what it was. He only remembers that it made him angry. He remembers wanting to be left alone.

But that was so long ago.

Now solitude has become a curse. The isolation has become unbearable and he wishes the thing would come back. Whatever it is. Still, he dares not go outside. There was too much danger out there, too much unfamiliar.

Zim regrets having dismantled the mechanical creature he once shared his space with. He had done it in a fit of annoyance shortly after 'the incident', although he isn't sure what 'the incident' is. His earliest memory is of his PAK hooked into the computer, the one built in the walls surrounding him. That was when the computer still worked, of course. Zim is pleased with himself for remembering the words 'PAK' and 'computer'; it feels important to know them. But there are other words he remembers that confuse him, and he is unable to understand how they relate to himself. Words like fake, defect, and virus.

His earliest memory also contains a flat image of two tall creatures that resemble him somehow, but he doesn't know who they are. But they were smiling at him so they must like him. Zim misses the tall ones most of all - and they gave him something, but Zim doesn't remember what the present was. It might have something to do with his PAK because he remembers the odd feeling and it making a curious humming noise right before everything went blank.

"Zim!"

The word echoes back at him.

'Zim' is the most important word of all and he said it often. Something about it sounds right; it even makes him feel emotions like happiness. Occasionally it awakens his loneliness, from the lack of anyone saying it back to him. That's why he says it in the echoing areas of his cavernous environment to bask in his vocal reflection. It has become his favorite thing to do.

It's boring here in the darkness, silence, and solitude, but he knows better than to venture beyond the limits of his metal habitation.

* * *

**A/N:** Keep in mind that the words Zim remembers are in Irken, not English. His English is completely wiped as well as his translator, so that should be fun. Again, it would really help me out if a couple of people with good spelling and grammar could volunteer to beta-read. I got my friend to do it this time but she's really busy and it would help me upload much faster.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Yay! I got a beta-reader! That means you guys can enjoy another chapter. I'm surprised I got so much good feedback on such a puny little prologue. This chapter is a bit dry so bare with me. Gotta set up the story, right? I'll pick up in the next chapter. I promise.

* * *

"Its going to be okay"

Or at least that's what Dib keeps telling himself.

His eyes are pinched shut while he massages unbroken circles over his temples with the tips of his fingers. Dib pays extra attention to his breathing, concentrating on deep, steady breaths. In and out. In and out. Just as his doctor taught him.

"Everything is going to be okay." He repeats.

Everything is definitely not okay.

Dib braces himself as he cracks open an exhausted eye to inspect the damage done to his laboratory. He was gone for a mere two minutes and the interns had outright destroyed it. There is a giant, kool-aid man sized hole on one side of the room, and the other side stands scorched and blackened. It will take forever to scrape off all of that tar. Broken glass is everywhere. To top it off, Experiment 56 escaped, and is probably frolicking in the fields, celebrating its newfound freedom, not even caring that its DNA could help cure agonizing, lethal illnesses if it stuck around for testing. The little self-absorbed bastard!

Dib gradually makes his way toward the rag-tag team of interns and represses his urge to smack them upside their heads like the bungling stooges they are.

"Out! Now!" He shouts with all the fury he could muster. His eyes involuntarily twitch as he yells. He clenches and unclenches his hands at his sides.

All three of his student interns hang their heads in defeat and slowly retreat out of the room, with their shoulders hunched and their arms dangling like noodles in front of them. It is a pitiful sight but they deserve no forgiveness. It's a mystery why he hasn't disposed of them yet.

And thus, for the hundredth time that day, Dib is reminded how much real science sucks.

XXX

There is a detour Dib often takes on the way home when he is having an especially tough and problematic day, which he assumes to be every day of his life. It is a small bar that isn't too far from his elegant, shit-hole apartment. Perfect walking distance when you're stumbling on your feet, more than a little tipsy. Plus there is a rather attractive bartender who works there not that Dib would ever hit on her. He is too far gone in his career to have time for social commitment. Plus rejection is a legitimate fear of his, a fear that his father planted in him at an early age.

The only reason he became a scientist to begin with was to please his father. It's not unusual for a son to want to make his father proud, but for the life of him, he could not achieve this fantasy. Sure, his father was happy when he announced his retirement of the paranormal to obtain a career in real science. But that's it- happy, not proud. When you're in the shadow of the great Professor Membrane, it's difficult to gain any well-deserved acknowledgment.

"You look terrible." Comes the friendly voice of the bartender, her lips bent into a smile as she says it. He nods to her and she turns to grab a bottle of his usual.

That might have been the main reason for him to drink. Intoxication and numbing the pain is nice, but the promise of a smiling bartender is what really drew him in here. Drinking alone feels too depressing, and he longs for the cheerful-looking faces to look at, even if thier smiles were just a ploy for tips. This one even knew his name. Sure, she cheats by reading his name-tag that he forgets to take off at the end of his workdays, but the effort is still appreciated.

She pours him his cinnamon whiskey with the skill of your average trained bartender and goes off to serve the other boozed-up patrons at the counter. He switched to whiskey when he heard his father once say 'clear alcohol is for rich women on diets'. Vodka apparently isn't manly enough for him.

After a few sips, Dib hears the dull sound of a four-legged nature on the other side of the window. He crans his neck to peer out. Sure enough, there is a dog outside looking lost and trying to gain someone's attention. Looks like it's up to Dib to save the day.

Dib groans and downs the rest of his drink. Then he gets up, pays his tab, plus some, and leisurely strolls out the door to analyze the creature who rudely interrupted his drinking time. The dog looks up at him in a silent plead for assistance. Dib notes the collar, bends down to get a better read on the tag and gives the dog an assuring pat on the head. Molly, it says. A number is printed on the back. With a heavy sigh, Dib pulls out his nearly-dead cell phone and dials the number. A feminine voice whispers 'hello' through his receiver.

"Um... hi," Dib says nervously. "I found your dog. She's in front of the One-Ball bar on 21st Street."

Dib doesn't get a response, only a click. She must be in a hurry. Dib looks down at the dog and runs his figures through her rust-colored fur. It is comforting for both of them. And then there is silence. He isn't looking forward to waiting around for the owner.

Dib listens to the sound of his own footsteps as they scuff the floor of the narrow hallway leading to his apartment door. A few more steps and he's there. Immediately, relief spreads through his body as he reaches his destination. Home sweet home. Dib takes a moment to enjoy the brief feeling of happiness by resting his head against the door-frame and running his hand along its surface to find the handle. He lifts his head back up so that he could see if his key was heading safely toward the lock.

Opening the door takes more effort than it should, exhaustion already weighing him down, and Dib absorbs the sights of his one-bedroom apartment. It is simple looking; a kitchen, a bedroom, a couch, a coffee table, and a descent sized TV. It doesn't take long for Dib to cross the carpeting and collide with the couch face-first, as lovers reunited. His glasses squish uncomfortably against his face but he doesn't care. Here is another brief moment of happiness. And as soon as it comes, it vanishes when he catches sight of last night's bills in the corner of his eye. Dib gives a grunt as he lifts his arm to smear his hand over the no-longer-neatly stacked envelops. Something feels off, and once again Dib is forced to lift his head to inspect the object in his hand that doesn't feel like a bill. It looks suspiciously like a card. But that doesn't make sense...

Immediately, Dib shoots up into a sitting position and tears open the envelope to scrutinize the gift card like a detective. It's from his sister, Gaz. Upon this revelation Dib purses his lips in distaste and adjusts his glasses back into place.

It is an unpleasant store-bought tragedy of a card that, without a doubt, is hand-picked just for him. The picture on the cover looks like a masterpiece drawn by a small child; a little green alien holding a birthday cake. Dib knows that this is a spiteful joke based on his career choice. Gaz has a nasty habit of reminding him that he gave up the one thing he loved most. The paranormal. She knows he hates his job and only participates in his experiments for their father. This causes what little attention their father gives them to shift over to Dib. Gaz has never forgiven him for it.

The 'Happy Birthday' inside the god-awful card is crossed out and a 'fuck you' written below it. Dib stares at that for a bit, unsure of its real meaning. Gaz is usually more passive-aggressive than blunt. She could have genuinely been trying to write something and thought against it last minute, or maybe she is having a bad day and this is her way of venting. Whatever the reason, it's weird.

Dib looks back at the cover and traces his finger over the outline of the bug-eyed alien. It looks a lot like the alien he chased around in his childhood, Zim. A name he will never forget. But the vision of him faded slightly each passing year. What happened to him? How could the most important thing in his adolescent life disappear so easily?

Maybe he needs at new distraction to help fill the void. Maybe a pet.

Dib shifts to get more comfortable on his couch. Relaxing his limbs and taking pleasure in the feeling of gravity pulling on the weight of his body, memories of the young woman reunited with her dog, and the gleeful rejoicing that soon followed makes its way back into his mind. He nods his head absentmindedly, as if agreeing with himself.

_'Yeah... A pet sounds like a good idea.'_ is Dib's last thought before he passes out on the sofa.

XXX

When nostalgia hits, Gaz will find herself in a situation in which her feet took charge of the rest of her body. They will take her to the places that occupy her thoughts. Today's destination is what everyone referrers to as the 'abounded green house' in quiet murmurs. Some will even compose tales of 'how that weird green kid died' and 'how his ghost still haunts the house'. A mix between a snort and a laugh makes its way out of Gaz's mouth just thinking about it. Why are the people around her so stupid?

Though, it is no wonder why people keep their distance; it was eerie enough when it glowed, but now and many years before, it looked... Dead. Not a peaceful, sleeping kind of dead, but a floating-in-limbo kind of dead. You would think someone would show it some mercy and put it out of its misery by destroying the thing, but no. Nobody wants to go near it.

The day Zim disappeared was the same day the house stopped emitting its radioactive appearance. It took Dib almost a year to confirm that the place was impenetrable. Gaz assumed her bother would go insane -or worse- from making his fruitless attempts to break in. Instead he surprised her with an unexpected twist - he gave up and announced that he will follow in their father's footsteps. Dib had more daddy issues than she did, which was funny in its own stupid way. In that one moment she felt like she'd lost a brother as well. But that's too sappy to say out loud...

There is movement in her line of vision. And since she is staring at an abandoned house, that could be considered weird. Even animals avoid the place. The past week or so, when she casually walked by on her way home, she noticed the window was different. Like it's an actual window again. You could almost see through it. Not like that solid shield that took its place for the last twelve years.

Gaz could even feel life inside the house, like two large, red eyes staring back at her. A microscopic smile creeps across her face, but she quickly forces it into submission. She doesn't want to show weakness.

Hopefully, her stupid brother got the message she'd sent.

But he could also be too stupid to figure it out.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry this too so long. There were some technical difficult that really set me back. I would like to thank Katherine Jasper for being my beta-reader.

This is my first time writing and they say to write what you know so I made Dib in his mid-twenties for me to relate to him more. Its a proven fact that teenagers and adults think differently. Its also easier to relate to living situations and drinking habits. I'm a vodka drinker myself but I love that "clear alcohol is for rich women on diets" quote by Ron Swanson. The cinnamon whiskey is referencing "Fireball Whiskey" which is something else I drink regularly. Already started on the next chapter so lets hope it won't take my too long.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I didn't realized how important reviews were until now. They really do help motivate me to write faster. So yeah, be sure to leave a review. It helps with my happy.

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Waiting for the weekend felt oddly similar to a band-aid being pulled off as slowly as possible. But Dib made it, alive and well. This was going to be a good Saturday. This was because today would be the day Dib put his plans into action and find himself a new companion.

He left the apartment building with carrier in hand, a medium-sized one he borrowed from one of his neighbors, the crazy cat lady on the ground floor below him. He made the mistake of talking about his plans out loud when he was sitting on the balcony of his apartment, unaware of the eavesdropper. She insisted that he took the carrier and bring back another feline. Dib didn't bother arguing with her and wanted the conversation to end as quickly as possible, so he took it and ran. After his amazing escape, he hopped into his beat-up car that he unfortunately owned, and floored it.

To be honest, Dib didn't know what kind of animal he wanted. They all had their pros and cons. Dogs were loving and loyal but required a lot of attention. Cats were appealing and low maintenance but the building already had a large enough collection. Birds were very intelligent but noisy. Snakes were cool but they creep him out. The list went on...

Dib shifted in his seat while he contemplated his options. The voice of David Bowie traveled out from the car's radio and into his ears. He recognized the song 'Space Oddity' and reached out his hand and turned the volume up two clicks.

_'Space' _He thought to himself, the word rolled around in his head. It didn't take long for his thoughts to jump from 'space' to 'Zim'. The little green terror had dominated his thoughts as of late, sometimes making it difficult to fall asleep. Zim always had the capability to keep him awake at night. It was the alien on the gift card that triggered the memories. He cherished them with fondness. It was a horrible experience at the time, but there's a well-known calculation:

Misery + Time = Comedy

Dib idly changed his course by flicking the turn signal with his pinkie. He wasn't confident in his choice of action but that didn't matter. His decision was final. He yearned to combine his memories with photos like he yearned for milk with his cookies. It called to him like a siren. It was about time he stopped by old Membrane residence again.

XXX

Dib's knuckles lightly brushed the door and tapped gently, unable to put much force behind it. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. For a while, nothing happened. And just when he was about to make another attempt at knocking, the door slid open with a crack. Dib could see Gaz's demonic eye peering back at him. Her nose scrunched up and her face wrinkled and as if she were looking at something foul left on her doorstep. There was a long silence that made the air heavy and awkward. Dib adjusted his glasses just to have something to do.

"What do you want?" The question said in a bored tone.

When dealing with a predator, they say to make yourself look bigger. This was what inspired Dib's stance and posture. He puffed out his chest with is head held high. A bluff of confidence.

"I want in. I want to grab a few of my old things."

Gaz's eye drifted off him and focused on nothing in the distance. That was good. That means she was thinking about it instead of slamming the door in his face. Honestly, he didn't think he would get this far. They were never on the best of terms. And then - she turned away and left without a word. It took a moment for him to register that the door was still cracked, which he assumed meant it was okay to enter. Victory for Dib!

It was more than likely that Gaz wasn't in the mood to talk, so he prepared for a one way trip to his room. It felt surreal being in the old Membrane house again and it wasn't encouraging at all. Dib took this as a sign to make this trip as short as possible. He got in, climbed the steps that led upstairs, grabbed the box in his closet, and headed back downstairs toward the front door. But before Dib could turn the knob, Gaz's head popped out from the kitchen.

"You should stop by Zim's place."

Dib didn't turn around, but his hesitation before leaving was enough to tell her that he was considering the idea. He recovered quickly and exited the house.

Dib hummed to himself in thought as he reached for the handle of the car door. What brought on that suggestion? Was it another passive aggressive insult? But her voice held no malice when she said it. It was weird.

He sat in his seat and let his fingers drum against the steering wheel out of nervous habit. He shifted so that he could see the plastic object sitting in the back seat, the medium sized pet carrier. The plan was to find a pet store after his trip to his old house to pick up the rest of the necessities to keep an animal alive and happy.

He sighed, pointed himself back forward, and started the car. Why not? It's not like its that far out of the way of his voyage.

XXX

Zim found himself playing on the main house level more and more. It has a lot more colors than down below. His new favorite thing to do, next to bouncing the word 'Zim' off the walls, was looking out the window. The outside was interesting. Although these not-him creatures confused and frightened him, the knowledge of not being alone in this world was reassuring. Less lonely.

The window was a remarkable discovery made completely on accident.

_*flashback*_

_Zim spent years flipping switches and pushing buttons. They made soft clicks that resulted in nothingness, but there was nothing better to do. It was boring down here. After a few hours of mindless button mashing, a miraculous thing happened - One particular button lit up. What an incredible discovery! Zim had no idea button could do that. It's not like they were anything special. The only thing they were good for was pressing down on with your finger to feel a semi -satisfying click. The glow drew Zim in like a starving man to a sandwich, the red button made redder from the light nestled in its rubber casing. It demanded to be pressed and pressed he did. As the button was released from its under-finger prison, a deep bang happened from somewhere above him. What a remarkable coincidence! Of course this sound could not remain uninvestigated. Zim toddles through the room and over to the hollow tube that led to the other layers of his home. He unleashed the long, thin mechanical legs from his PAK and began climbing._

_*end flashback*_

Zim carefully climbed the tube in search of his beloved widow. Maybe there was something new to look at today. Slowly and steadily, he located his footholds - Pakholds- and gently pulled himself up. Close to the top, he could sense something was off. His antennas flicked up and down slightly, just enough to the read the atmosphere without creating too much vibration. There was an unfamiliar smell in the air. Zim fought the urge to abandon his venture. His instincts told him to hide but his curiosity was too great. After all, the last time he explored an oddity he found something he liked. This too could lead to a new thing for him to enjoy. With that in mind, he pushed past his fear and continued upward.

XXX

Dib was too stunned to think properly. He did not expect the door to be unlocked, but seeing how the windows were viewable again, he had to try. And like the talented paranormal investigator he was, his keen eye caught something very bizarre. As expected, there was grime and decay. Dust covered the room like a tarp. But to his surprise, fresh child-sized footprints covered the floor, as well as other signs of life.

His ear caught what sounded like a squeak and his head turned sharply out of reflex. And there Zim was. His head stuck out of the hole in the floor where the toilet used to be, now laid on its side next to it. Ruby eyes gawked back at him.

Never moving, too involved with their impression of a deer in headlights.

XXX

Zim internally cursed his luck with words he didn't even know. Dib heard his involuntary vocal noise of surprise and started right at him. How did it get in? How did this stink-beast learn to maneuver the round turny-thingy that could open the square-thing. It took Zim hours to learn that secret. So how did this brainless mongrel figure it out? It doesn't make sense!

Now was not the time to panic, though. Now was time to take action! He must destroy this beast before it gets away and teach the others. He must defend his base!

Like a majestic puma, Zim pounced.

XXX

The shock didn't wear off fast enough for Dib to prepare for the oncoming attack. Zim was already propelling toward him before he could lift his arms for protection. The force smashed Dib directly in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him and slamming him to the floor. The blow to his head made the room spin, but didn't distract him from the feeling of teeth and claws piercing through his clothes and down into his flesh. He tried to shove him off and cringed, tiny dagger-like points raked across his skin, leaving behind angry, red lines. Dib used one of his arms to flip over while the other tried to pin Zim to the ground. Zim's large, red eyes widened as the world flipped upside-down. The panic-stricken Irken thrashed blindly in the air, under his grip, until claws meet flesh. Dib gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to scream when the talons shredded his arms.

"_Something is wrong!" _Was the only thing that ran through Dib's head._ "This isn't Zim. This isn't how Zim acts!" _

The Zim he know would always hit and punch like a normal person. This **thing **attacked him like some sort of wild animal.

As Dib evaluated the situation, he failed to notice Zim's hand reaching as high as it could and steered its way down to collide with his face.

"FUCK!" Dib screamed.

White hot pain surged through Dib's system causing him to rear back on his knees, clutching his right eye. He hadn't realized that his glasses were missing. He could feel wetness under his hand, but he wasn't sure if the blood was from his eye or his arm. He watched Zim struggle of his back before righting himself. The Irken looked shaken but didn't show any remorse for his actions. This pissed Dib off.

"What the fuck, Zim!"

All looks of aggression melted off of Zim's face and reconfigured into dazed confusion. Zim doesn't move from his spot. An antenna twitched, trying to sense something that wasn't there.

For the second time, the two locked into a silent stare.

* * *

**A/N:** I do not apologies to the majestic puma line. Pumas are my to-go-to large cat and I might be dropping them into future chapters. In fact, this whole story will be about pumas and all this stuff about Dib and Zim is just filler. Yeah... that sounds about right.

This chapter was beta-read by Katherine Jasper


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Okay... how to explain this. Zim will not think to himself in sentences or words. He doesn't have the capability to. His knowledge has been erased. So he can only think in images, feeling, and what is relative to him. So when I use things, like blood, keep in mind that he don't know what its there for, he just knows that it exist. And the only reason why he knows that it exist is because he has it too. Even with this obstacle, I tried keeping Zim: Zim-like.

* * *

Zim twitched an antenna. Maybe there was something if the air to help clue him in on this strange phenomenon. He could smell oil and blood and feel the vibrations of the creature's erratic breathing pattern. He could also sense a fast pace beating coming from its torso. But none of it could explain why it knew his most cherished word.

The sink-beast before him was a monstrous looking specimen. It was much taller and lengthier than anything else he'd see outside, and its generous height made Zim uneasy, even on its knees. Its head was large and stupid looking with an unknown material on top. Its garments were ripped and tattered, thanks to the Irken, and was absorbing the crimson substance that he assumed to be the creatures lifeblood.

Zim hesitantly took his eyes off the creature and lifted his hand to examine the blood that still coated his fingers. It was thinner than his own, more of a liquid than a goo. And the fact that the color rivaled his eyes disturbed him.

"Zim?..."

His antennas perked up in curiosity and he lifted his head, woken from his daze, to stare back at the sink-beast's creepy multi-colored eyes. The idea to remove them from their sockets briefly flashed through his mind. But that would have to wait. Right now, he had to focus on what this thing wanted and why it said his word. The ability for it to maneuver its awkward lips and slap its malformed tongue around well enough to pronounce something non-gibberish was a wonder.

Maybe this creature could be reasoned with.

"Zim!" he repeated in a show of solidarity.

Unsurprisingly, the creature didn't do anything back, just gaped at him like an idiot, obviously not intelligent enough to understand the seriousness of the situation. Just where he deemed his attempt to be a failure, it stood up, snatched up its ocular instrument from the floor, and headed for the door.

The action left Zim baffled. He didn't expect it to leave that easily. He didn't expect it to leave at all. Zim intended to kill it before it could cause him any trouble. As his mistake dawned on him, he turned to watch the creature through the open door. He didn't recognize the metal contraption on the street that the thing was walking toward.

Zim scrunched his face in confusion, not understanding what was going on.

XXX

Dib sat in his car, feeling apprehensive about everything. He sat there in silence, staring forward at nothing, unsure on how to deal with his current conundrum. He always assumed that Zim packed up and left the planet. But no, he was still here, on earth, watching him from the house...

He blinked a couple times before turning his head and glared at the little abomination; gloveless, bootless, and still covered in his blood. If not his appearance, Zim's profound shift in personality was disturbing; the way he acted, the way he attacked, the way he said his name, and the way didn't recognize the only person that ever paid him any attention.

_'Maybe Zim went feral?'_

The thought jolted Dib out of his daze and he leaned over to the passenger side to open the glove department and rummaged through the clutter. He felt his hand brush against a familiar object and wretched it from its prison.

Dib held the taser up for inspection and applied pressure to the buttons on its sides to test that it was still in working condition. The tip sparked with life, blue current running across the tip. The harsh crackling sound put a sick feeling in his stomach.

He paused momentarily to take a deep breath before he opened the car door, and slipped out. Wasting no time, he opened the side door and plucked out the carrier. It was bigger than a normal cat carrier, double the size, probably meant for caring more than one cat. It would be a tight fit for Zim, but will have to do.

Dib took slow hesitant steps back toward the house, trying to approach Zim as if he were a wild animal that would flee if frightened. He could see the Irken watching him with a mix of confusion and curiosity, oblivious of Dib's intentions. It wasn't until he stepped inside that Zim jarred into action, but Dib was ready for him.

Zim made a lunge at his lower half, claws at the reed, teeth bared. But before he could make contact, Dib took advantage of his length and aimed it at the alien's neck. There was a bright blue flash and a loud sickening sound, and Zim's eyes widened from shock and pain.

Dib was fixated by the sight of Zim's paralyzed body being electrocuted before hitting the floor. He waited a few secants and nudged him with his toe. Nothing. He couldn't help the feeling of disappointment that crept into his system. This should have been more of a challenge. Dib sighed.

The great battle that would have been, now a sad display.

XXX

Little by little, Zim's senses were coming back to him. He could feel himself in motion, but unable to move his body. The smell of plastic and chemicals surrounded him and agitated his antennas. His eyelids fluttered open, but he was only met with darkness. Anxiety flooded into him and his breathing became quick and uneven. His fingers curled and scratched at the walls with desperation, unable to move his arms well enough to do any real damage. When the world stopped moving, he held his breath, unsure what to expect.

He heard the creak of sliding metal behind him and something wrapped around his ankle. Zim tried to kick it off, unsuccessfully, and was pulled backwards out of the cage. He landed on a cold, hard metal surface, with the creature looming over him. The white walls were blinding and made him dizzy. Fear consumed him.

Zim flipped over on his stomach in an attempt to gain some traction under his feet, but before he could get up to run, the creature held him down. His PAK extensions erupted from his back, but the fiend latched on to the metal appendages with its barbaric hands and used some sort of primitive tool to cut them off at the joints, where they're most vulnerable. A pathetic plea escaped him as he continued to flail, but the thing held on too tight, pushing him down with all its strength. The defeat was humiliating.

XXX

Dib debated whether he should use the taser again. He was losing his grip on the alien. He was planning to sedate Zim before using the bolt cutters, but Zim was being difficult. Now, without the fear of being stabbed to death, Dib looked to the tableside for the pre-prepped syringe, and grabbed it. He pointed the needle tip upwards and pushed on the base lightly, to rid it of air bubbles, and applied the needle with force between Zim's neck and shoulder. Slowly, the alien's struggles came to a halt. He breathed out a sigh of relief and rolled in captive over, happy with the opportunity to inspect the subject without getting mauled again.

It was hard to believe that this was Zim. He was smaller than he remember, and weaker. Then again, Dib was still a child when they were last face-to-face. And seeing him without a complete outfit was weird on its own.

Dib ran his figures over Zim's ungloved hand, grazing over flaky dried blood. He winced and snatched up the rubbing alcohol and cotton swab on the sterile tray next to him and proceeded to clean the mess. Luckily, there was no unpleasant reaction when the swab ran across the hand. When he cleaned the feet, he noted that there were only two toes on each foot. He touched a toe with the tip of his finger, it was just as sharp as the claws on the hands.

_'Lovely...' _Dib thought with unease.

He fumbled around for the scalpel, which resulted in a cut finger. He hissed and yanked his hand away from the offending object. His face and arms were already cleaned and patched up, but he did not care to sport another bandage. It felt like he was slowly becoming a mummy.

Quickly, he treated his wound, and paid more attention when picking up the blade. He used it to slice off the alien's shirt. The fabric was surprisingly durable, built to last, and hard to cut through. He would be impressed, if he wasn't already irritated by its refusal to cooperate.

After removing the scrapped material, Dib couldn't help but stare. He'd never seen so much skin on Zim before. It looked so pristine, no bumps or dents to be seen. It was a palette of green pigments that looked like one color from afar, but up close the assortment of color was distinguishable. The dominant green was completed with a variety of dark and light shades. He even spotted some teals.

Dib wanted to touch it, but held back the urge. Instead he positioned the scalpel over Zim's crest. As he was about to carve through, he found that his hand refused him, unable to move it.

_'Typical!'_ He thought as his lips bent downward.

With a loud groan, Dib moved the scalpel lower and begun to slice off the pants. Again, the fabric proved to be troublesome, irritating him further.

Dib ceased his actions to contemplate his discovery, or lack thereof. There wasn't anything there that could distinguish gender. He was half disappointed and half fascinated by the Irken's biology. Maybe he was wrong to assume Zim was a male. Or maybe he was giving up too easily. Irken's could have another way to identify gender, if they have it at all.

The door behind his swung open, startling Dib in the process.

"Son! Is that you?" came the booming voice of the great Professor Membrane.

Dib calmed himself before replying.

"Yeah, Dad, its me."

The Professor made broad strides, closing in on Dib.

" What are you doing here so late?" He looked over Dib's shoulder. "And what is that you're working on?" He said, pointing at Zim.

"Oh um..." Dib shifted from foot to foot, failing to keep composed. "I was staying late to work on a new project. It's..." Dib noticed the empty cage of him escaped experiment in the back. "It's a new hybrid that I've created."

"Oh!" The professor exclaimed. He held his hand to his chin and made an audible hmm.

Dib cleared his throat and looked away.

"Obviously, some sort of insect" the professor claimed.

"Obviously," Dib repeated with a light chuckle.

_'If by 'insect', you mean 'alien', then yes, obviously.'_

The professor looked back at his son.

"And what is the purpose of this hybrid?"

Dib could see the pet carrier in the corner of his eye.

"I'm making super pets. Pets that are super durable. Pets that can survive being hit by cars and stuff."

He cringed when his sentence ended with 'stuff'. It was an unprofessional thing for him to do.

Membrane seemed content with the answer and rewarded Dib with a hand on the shoulder. Dib's knees almost buckled from the added weight that caught him by surprise.

"That's** fantastic**, son!" He looked back at the 'insect' unconscious on the table, "Though, I'm not sure if anyone would want a giant indestructible bug as a pet."

Dib almost laughed.

"It um.. It's a prototype!" Dib was getting good at this lying thing. "This one is mine!"

"**Now son**!" Membrane was now holding on to both his shoulders. "A pet is a big responsibility!"

_'Oh shit!' _Dib didn't realize the conversation would head this way. '_Well...no turning back now'_

"I know dad. I'm a responsible adult now. I can handle a pet."

"Weeeell, okay." He removed his hands from Dib's shoulders and gave him a pat on the head, like he was addressing a child, and made his way back out of the room.

"But remember, son." His deep imperium-like voice was heard outside of the doorway, "**SCIENCE FIRST!**"

Dib just stood there, staring at the spot where his dad once stood, trying to restore his brain. He didn't intend to lie his father. It even surprised him. But he did not want to risk being called insane by his own dad again. It took so long to rid himself of that title.

He squinted his eyes at Zim, as if it was all his fault. And as far as Dib was concerned, it was.

His shoulders slacked in defeat, and decided to retire for the night.

* * *

**A/N**: There were a few parts that I had trouble writing. When I planned for this story, I already knew what their life together would be like, but had no idea how to get Zim back to Dib's place. However! I started playing some classical music while writing, and it helps a lot with writers block.

I'm also working on another story right now called 'Pay to Play', so look out for that. Unlike this story, PtP will be a solid 'M' filled with sex, drugs, violence, and so much more. Yeah, it should be fun.

Chapter beta-read by Katherine Jasper.


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